Dealer's choice
Also: dealers choice
A format in which whoever holds the button picks the game for the next hand or the next orbit. It is the oldest way of running a mixed game and still the standard in home games and many high-stakes private lineups.
The interesting consequence is strategic: a player chooses the game they are best at relative to the table, so the format rewards breadth over depth. Someone who is excellent at hold'em and helpless at stud will find themselves playing a great deal of stud.
Organised mixed games such as the eight-game rotations used in tournaments fix the order instead, which removes the selection element but makes the structure predictable.
Related terms
Full glossaryFrequently asked questions
How is dealer's choice different from a mixed game?
A mixed game rotates through a fixed order of games; in dealer's choice the player on the button picks freely.